It has been estimated that six out of every ten people worldwide have access to high speed internet with over four billion internet and/or digital networking capable devices in existence. Furthermore, over half a billion people worldwide have been able to access the internet through a mobile web device as of the year 2009 and that number continues to grow. However, even with the increase in users of both internet capable devices and those who have been able to access the internet through such a device, the current methods of sharing digital information simply have not been able to keep up with the times. Presently, both the manner and mode of advertising and delivering information to INDCD's has remained unchanged, and been provided to individual user's of these devices in the same format that has been in use for many years on websites and other digital media.
Initially, screens on smaller web capable devices pose a problem when trying to share media content or advertising. In the often strained relationship between media content sharing and internet and/or digital networking capable devices, advertising must be agreeable to the user. When using an internet and/or digital networking capable device that has limited visual space, the less intrusive the advertising is to the user, the better the user's experience. Internet and/or digital networking capable device users are usually working on essential tasks or using a specific program to accomplish a task, and therefore, intruding with an advertisement during this time can be annoying and potentially aggravating to a user.
Currently, internet and/or digital networking capable devices are untapped resources for advertising. For example, in India, mobile devices accounted for nearly ninety percent of all internet users in 2008. As such, brands are able to pinpoint and profile users much more efficiently on an internet and/or digital networking capable device. Additionally, advertising on an internet and/or digital networking capable device provides advertisers a much more intimate exposure to users.
There are multiple reasons why mobile web advertising is increasing in popularity with large companies including that, mobile phones are highly personal and are always with the user, along with the most direct way an advertiser can connect with the public is through their mobile phone.
The lack of competition on a mobile web page is one of the best aspects of mobile advertisement, since due to the small space a displayed advertisement will not have to share the page with other advertisers. While banner ads and pop-ups saturate websites, through a mobile interface, these advertisements may be displayed in a more user friendly and personal manner that is easy to read.
Therefore, this small space for advertising gives a unique opportunity to advertisers, but is currently thought of as a detriment to this medium. There needs to be a unobtrusive way to use this mobile space to connect users and brands.